The accuracy in delay of CCD delay lines have a strong effect in image quality, and it is for this reason that high-performance CCD delay lines have long been desired. Excellently performing CCD delay lines exhibit characteristics such that an input signal is accurately delayed and outputted without being distorted or varied.
To achieve efficient transfer and high dynamic range, a CCD delay line transfers an input signal by adding an appropriate offset (sometimes called "priming"). However, the offset is easily affected by changes in ambient temperature, causing both distortion and delay variations in the delayed signal.